The PineConeLady Answers those PineCone Questions

My #1 Most Asked Question is:
Removing Pine Tree Pitch/Sap!

Here are a few Quick Tips for
How to Remove Pitch / Sap from Clothes

For a small area, use an ice cube to freeze the sap until it is hard.
{I actually put my gloves IN the freezer, in a plastic bag.}
Once frozen, the pitch/sap comes off pretty easy.
You might have to pick at it a bit in some places.

WD40 or tea tree oil work well for any stubborn remaining sap/pitch.
Just make sure you rinse the oil off with a vinegar and water solution thoroughly.
Then hand wash the clothes item before washing it with a full load of clothes.

I have heard that rubbing alcohol works, although I have never tried it.

I also use nail polish remover for sap/pitch that gets on my skin.

How to remove Pitch / Sap from Pinecones
Bake on a foil~lined cookie sheet in 220 degree Oven for about 20 to 30 minutes
or until the pitch melts. Makes a beautiful glossy glaze.

Disinfecting . Cleaning Pinecones

PineCone Question ~ Dear Pinecone Lady: I would like to know how to clean or disinfect pine cones. Should anyone have a allergy to mold or spores? How about bugs?
What process do you use?

PineCone Answer ~ When you bake cones to melt pitch, that takes care of everything you mentioned. If you wash or rinse them in a bucket, add a dab of disinfectant to the cool water. Let dry naturally on newspaper. Don't bake wet cones as it tends to make them very brittle and can ruin the color of the cone.

  Largest Conifer Tree?

PineCone Answer ~ The worlds most Largest Tree was a Conifer called the Lindsey Creek Tree. It was Redwood Tree located on the coast of California. It's one of the few conifers that readily regenerate from sprouts after a fire. It had a total trunk volume of 2,549 cubic meters {90,000 cubic feet} and a mass of 3,248 tons! The tree blew over in a storm in 1905.

  Preserving / Weatherproofing Wreaths & Ornaments

PineCone Question ~ Is there an all-weather spray I can use that won't ruin the pine cones?? Is there a way to clean them??

PineCone Answer ~ We spray polyurethane on all our finished craft projects. When you spray the cones or an ornament, make sure you get the sides and bottom too!
In time, when the wreaths or decorations get dusty, you can just spray them with water, and the dust and dirt drips off!

Pinecone Harvesting Seasons

PineCone Question ~ I noticed on your web site that pinecones are harvested at different times of the year. Could you tell me when?

PineCone Answer ~ Hard cones {Most Pines & Smaller Hemlocks} usually fall in the spring & summer. Soft cones {Spruces & Hemlocks & Eastern White Pine & Douglas Fir} usually fall in Autumn/Early Winter.

Tall or Long?

PineCone Question ~ What's the difference between Long and Tall?

PineCone Answer ~ TALL means its a hard cone and sits on a "base". The Base being the widest part, and narrowing towards the top. {Egg shaped}
LONG means it a cone that can't stand upright and is usually the same size from beginning to it's end. It can also taper a bit.

PineCone Weather Forecaster
Did you know that a Pinecone can be used as a weather forecaster because the changes in the air humidity will make the petals of a pinecone open and close!! When the humidity is high and rainy, the petals {scales} will close. When the humidity is low and it's fair or sunny, the petals will be open!

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Pinyon Pinecone Nut Ideas
By Captain Jim {United States Army}

You can either gather Pinyon Pinecones up off the ground when they drop
or pick the Pinyon Pinecones off the trees before they're fully open
to insure the nuts aren't lost.

How to Dry and Open the Pinyon Pine Cones
Lay the not fully opened cones in the sun on a canvas. Keep turning them until they are dry.
The other lazy way is to fill a sack 3/4 full of not yet open cones. Keep it in a warm dry place and keep turning and flipping it over from time to time. It takes about three to four days for the cones to open.
Shake the bag to loosen any nuts still lodged in the cone that will fall out naturally.
Take each cone and steadily pull the petals down over a white cloth to remove any nuts that are still stuck in the cone.

Soak them for a day in salt water.

To Roast the Pine Nuts
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover a sheet pan with nuts.
Coat the up side with salt and put them in for about 45 minutes.
After that, every ten minutes or so move them around until they are golden.
Cool them and eat 'em like sunflower seeds!
It takes about 90 minutes from start to finish.

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"Romantic" Pine Nut Soup
This recipe makes you "frisky", hehe! Make some for your "tired" mate!

Purée a mixture of 100g of pine nuts and three egg yolks in the food processor until you have a fine, smooth paste.
Put this in a saucepan and add 250 ml (one cup) of chicken bouillon and 250 ml (one cup) of cream.
{For a less rich but still delicious soup use one chicken bouillon cube and 500 ml milk. (2 cups)}
The chicken stock can be added at the food processor stage if you have difficulties in obtaining a smooth paste.
The soup can be prepared hours in advance to this point.

Heat over a gentle fire stir constantly until the mixture thickens.
It must NOT be brought to a boil! Serve immediately.

"Love" Note
If desired, the aphrodisiac properties can be reinforced by suitable spices.
The spice is added BEFORE the soup is heated.
I have tried 3 equally successful additives:
0.5 grams of finely divided saffron
2 tablespoons of ouzo
A pinch of cayenne pepper.